Alas, the one cool-ish day we had last week didn't last; I'm writing this Thursday afternoon and the temps are heading toward 100+ with a "feels like" heat index of about 115F. Dangerous, in other words. I'm doing as little as humanly possible, after we get our morning walk in. I don't remember a stretch of this kind of heat ever, and the 10-day forecast has temps over 90 every single day. We need a break, and some rain.

For the recipes this week, I selected a very simple fried pork chop, seasoned in Creole seasoning and dredged in pantry stable fish fry. I really like to make this and build a sandwich on a soft bun with tomatoes, onion, and pickles.  Next up, a spicy slaw that I've been making for decades. It's great as a side to anything grilled, but I added some oven-crisped lightly breaded shrimp one night this week and called it supper. And finally, another entree salad I enjoy when the corn and tomatoes are in season. The recipe calls for pan-frying the chicken, and I do like the extra crunch, but it's just as good grilled if you'd rather go in that direction.

Enjoy the recipes, stay cool, safe, and healthy, and, as always, let me know what's on your mind. 

Best regards,

Susan Ford, Publisher and Editorial Director

Louisiana Kitchen & Culture

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Cajun-Fried Pork Chops

It doesn't get any easier than this. The only change I make to the recipe is to season the chops with Slap Ya Mama and let them sit for 30 minutes before coating them in fish fry and frying them up. They're great just like they are, but they also make a great fried pork chop sandwich, dressed to taste.

Gingered Spicy Coleslaw

I've been making this slaw for decades. In hot weather like this, it makes a cool, refreshing entree salad by adding a generous amound fried or sauteed shrimp, crawfish tails, oysters, or finfish; I had it Wednesday night with some lightly breaded shrimp I cooked briefly in my convection oven. Delicious.

Chicken and Grilled Corn Salad

Here's another entree salad, bursting with the flavors of summer. As written, it calls for pan-frying the chicken, and I do enjoy the cruncy crust, but if you don't want to do that, skip the breading part and just grill it while the flavors of the corn and tomato salad meld. A handful of torn fresh basil would be a nice addition to the salad.